Lantana plant named ‘WHITE GOLD’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Lantana  named ‘WHITE GOLD’ that is characterized by mounding spreading habit, medium-green colored foliage, and inflorescence that is predominantly white composed of pure-white florets with yellow eyes. In combination these traits set ‘WHITE GOLD’ apart from all other existing varieties of  Lantana  known to the inventor.

Genus: Lantana. Species: camara.

Denomination: ‘WHITE GOLD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantanathat is grown for its predominantly white inflorescence composed ofpure-white florets with yellow eyes. The new cultivar is knownbotanically as Lantana camara and will be referred to hereinafter by thecultivar name ‘WHITE GOLD’.

The inventor discovered and selected ‘WHITE GOLD’ in August 2004 at hisnursery in Newnan, Ga. in the United States. ‘WHITE GOLD’ was discoveredas a naturally occurring branch sport on an individual plant of Lantana‘New Gold’ (unpatented). Selection was based on the criteria ofinflorescence color.

When compared with Lantana ‘New Gold’, the new variety ‘WHITE GOLD’exhibits identical habit, growth rate, and flower characteristics withthe single distinguishing difference being the color of theinflorescence. The inflorescence of Lantana ‘New Gold’ is solidpure-yellow, whereas the inflorescence of ‘WHITE GOLD’ is predominantlywhite, being composed of pure-white florets with yellow eyes.

Lantana ‘New Gold’ has won many awards for its garden and landscapeperformance, due to the absence of seed set, and therefore absence ofberry production. The berries of Lantana are highly poisonous. ‘NewGold’ is highly floriferous, due to its sterility. No seed or fruit hasbeen produced to date by the new cultivar ‘WHITE GOLD’.

The inventor has grown crops of the parent plant Lantana camara ‘NewGold’ since 1990. Each year, the inventor sets up fresh stock of ‘NewGold’ mother plants in order to produce cuttings for the followingseason's commercial crop. In 2003 the inventor purchased three thousandcuttings of ‘New Gold’ specifically for the 2004-2005 season. Thesecuttings were stuck into propagation plugs. Once rooted, three plugswere potted into 2-liter containers, which served as stock plants forthat current year's propagation cycles. Thus, by spring 2004 theinventor possessed approximately one thousand stock plants, each grownfrom these individual cuttings.

Because Lantana cuttings root and grow rapidly, the inventor was able totake the first three thousand cuttings, as tip cuttings, within onemonth. By summer 2004 the inventor had used the stock plants for a totalof four propagation cycles and had rooted and grown approximately thirtythousand plants.

Lantana blooms in the southern region of the United States within threeto four weeks of rooting. During spring and summer 2004 the inventorobserved that all of the plants grown from the harvested cuttingsdescribed above, flowered true to type for Lantana ‘New Gold’—that is,they all bore solid pure-yellow flowers. In August 2004, the inventorobserved that one single plant, which had been grown from the fourthcycle of cuttings, bore an inflorescence, which appeared predominantlywhite in color. The inventor removed and isolated this one plant andpotted it into a 2-liter stockpot. The inventor considers this oneplant, which is a naturally occurring white-flowering branch sport ofLantana ‘New Gold’, to be new and distinct, and the subject of thepresent invention Lantana plant named ‘WHITE GOLD’. The inventor hasfound no evidence of a similar white flowered form in commerce.

The first asexual reproduction of ‘WHITE GOLD’ was conducted by theinventor in 2004 at the inventor's nursery in Newnan, Ga. in the UnitedStates. The method used for asexual propagation was shoot cuttings takenfrom the single plant discovered by the inventor. All plants thuspropagated bore the same inflorescence as the original single plant of‘WHITE GOLD’—that is, predominantly white, composed of pure-whiteflorets with yellow eyes. From fall 2004 until March 2005, the inventorhas repeatedly asexually propagated ‘WHITE GOLD’ and has observed thatall the plants have grown and flowered identically. Thus the inventorhas determined that the characteristics herein described, of the newLantana cultivar ‘WHITE GOLD’ are fixed, stable, and reproduce true totype in successive generations.

The cultivar considered by the inventor to be most similar to WHITE GOLDin habit is the parent variety Lantana ‘New Gold’ which appears to beidentical in all respects except for the color of the inflorescence. Thecolor of the inflorescence of Lantana ‘New Gold’ is orange-yellow,closest to the color reference 23A of The Royal Horticultural Society'sColour Chart, whereas the color of the inflorescence of ‘WHITE GOLD’ ispredominantly pure white, as further described within the detailedbotanical description.

The cultivar considered by the inventor to be most similar to WHITE GOLDin the color of its inflorescence is the unrelated variety Lantana‘Silver Mound’ (unpatented). Whereas the flowers of ‘WHITE GOLD’ openwith a clear white coloration and remain clear white (apart from theyellow center), the flowers of Lantana ‘Silver Mound’ open with abuttery-yellow coloration, and remain that color. In the landscape, theoverall effect of ‘WHITE GOLD’ is of a much brighter, clearer whiteflowering display than is produced by Lantana ‘Silver Mound’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new Lantana cultivar ‘WHITE GOLD’. These traitsin combination distinguish ‘WHITE GOLD’ from all other commercialvarieties known to the inventor. ‘WHITE GOLD’ has not been tested underall possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed withvariations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions.

-   -   1. The inflorescence of Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is        predominantly white, being composed of pure-white florets with        yellow eyes.    -   2. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ exhibits mounding spreading        habit.    -   3. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ exhibits medium-green foliage.    -   4. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ blooms from spring through fall.    -   5. The cultural requirements for Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ are        loam-based soil, full sun, and moderate to regular water.    -   6. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is propagated by the methods of        tip, shoot and internodal cuttings.    -   7. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is suitable for use in patio        containers, planters and borders.    -   8. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is 45-60 cm. in height and        90-120 cm. in width at maturity.    -   9. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is hardy to USDA Zone 8.    -   10. Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ has not produced seed nor fruit        to date and is presumed sterile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color drawings labeled FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 illustrate theoverall appearance of the new Lantana cultivar ‘WHITE GOLD’, andincluding comparative illustrations of the parent variety Lantana ‘NewGold’ and also the variety Lantana ‘Silver Mound’ which the inventorconsiders most closely resembles ‘WHITE GOLD’. The colors depicted areas true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductionsof this type. Colors in drawings labeled FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 may differfrom the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, whichaccurately describes the actual colors of the new variety ‘WHITE GOLD’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 1 illustrates an entire plant of ‘WHITEGOLD’ in a 10 inch diameter stock pot. The illustrated plant isapproximately four months old having been started as a cutting inJanuary and been grown out-of-doors under partial shade, in Newnan, Ga.,USA.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 2 presents a close-up view of the foliageand first inflorescence of the four months old plant in FIG. 1.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 3 presents a close-up view showing the paleyellow buds and the clear white corolla of the newly-openinginflorescence.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 4 presents a close-up view of a fullydeveloped inflorescence of ‘WHITE GOLD’ with its uniformly clear whitecorollas.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 5 illustrates the inflorescences of theparent variety, Lantana ‘New Gold’ whose corollas are yellow-orange incolor.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 6 illustrates the comparison between ‘WHITEGOLD’ which is presented on the right and on the upper center of thedrawing, and the variety Lantana ‘Silver Mound’ which is presented onthe left of the drawing. The clearer white coloration of the corollas of‘WHITE GOLD’ is shown in relation to the pale creamy-yellow colorationof the corollas of Lantana ‘Silver Mound’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Lantana cultivar‘WHITE GOLD’ as grown in 25-centimeter containers out-of-doors in ArroyoGrande, Calif. The color determinations are in accordance with the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used. The color values were determined in April 2005.The readings were taken between 12 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. under natural daylight conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’.-   Genus: Lantana.-   Species: camara.-   Denomination: WHITE GOLD.-   Common name: Lantana.-   Commercial classification: Perennial.-   Plant use: Suitable for use in patio containers, planters or    borders.-   Suggested container sizes: ‘WHITE GOLD’ may be produced and finished    as a flowering plant in 9 cm to 25 cm diameter containers.-   Cultural requirements: Plant in loam-based soil with full sun whilst    maintaining adequate moisture at all times. Stems become brittle in    conditions of full sun and drought. Vigor: Vigorous.-   Root system: Fine and fibrous.-   Parentage: Lantana camara ‘WHITE GOLD’ is a naturally occurring    branch sport of the following parent:    -   -   Parent plant.—An individual Lantana camara ‘New Gold’.-   Plant dimensions: 45-60 cm. in height and 90-120 cm. in width at    maturity.-   Bloom period: Spring through fall.-   Plant habit: Mounding spreading habit.-   Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 8.-   Propagation: Propagation is accomplished by the methods of tip,    shoot, and internodal cuttings.-   Time to develop roots: 5 days during summer and 7 days during winter    are needed for initial cuttings to produce roots.-   Air and potting mix temperatures recommended for rooting: Air    temperatures of 18-20° Centigrade and potting mix temperature of 21°    Centigrade are recommended.-   Recommended potting mix and rooting conditions: Propagate and grow    in soil-less potting mix under intermittent mist.-   Cropping time: Approximately 4-6 weeks to produce a finished 9 cm    commercial container plant and 8-10 weeks to produce a finished 13    cm commercial container plant.-   Pest and disease resistance and susceptibility: No particular    resistance or susceptibility to any pest or disease has been    observed.-   Stem:    -   -   Stem shape.—Quadrilateral.        -   Stem color.—144B.        -   Stem dimensions.—12 cm. in length and 3 mm. in diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Hispid.        -   Stem texture.—Bristled.        -   Branching.—Freely branching from base.-   Foliage:    -   -   Foliage type.—Evergreen.        -   Leaf arrangement.—A combination of opposite and whorled on            an individual stem.        -   Internode length.—2.5 cm-4.5 cm. between nodes.        -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf venation (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—Pinnate.        -   Vein color (adaxial surface).—137A.        -   Vein color (abaxial surface).—138A.        -   Leaf surfaces (adaxial and abaxial).—Hispid.        -   Leaf texture.—Bristled.        -   Leaf appearance (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—Slightly            rugose.        -   Leaf width.—Leaves range from 1.50 cm. to 2.25 cm. in width            on an individual plant.        -   Leaf length.—Leaves range from 3 cm. to 4.50 cm. in length            on an individual plant.        -   Leaf color (adaxial surface).—137A.        -   Leaf color (abaxial surface).—138A.        -   Average number of leaves per stem.—An average of 28 leaves            per individual stem.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Petiole color.—144B.        -   Petiole surface.—Hispid.        -   Petiole shape.—Slightly sulcate.        -   Petiole dimensions.—5 mm. in length and 1 mm. in width.        -   Stipules.—Present.        -   Stipule shape.—Oval.        -   Stipule color.—144B.        -   Stipule surface.—Hispid.        -   Stipule dimensions.—2 mm. in length and 0.50 mm. in            diameter.        -   Leaf fragrance.—Pungently malodorous when bruised.-   Inflorescences:    -   -   Flowering months.—April through November in California.        -   Lastingness.—A range of 7-8 days.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.        -   Inflorescence type.—Rounded umbel.        -   Inflorescence shape.—Spherical.        -   Inflorescence dimensions.—4 cm. in diameter and 2 cm. in            depth.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-cleaning.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—A single mature plant            towards the end of summer flowering carries approximately            50-100 open flowers and a similar number of buds.        -   Quantity of florets per inflorescence.—An average of 17-20            florets per inflorescence.        -   Floret color.—Colors 155B and 9B are individually present on            an individual open floret.        -   Floret aspect.—Florets face upward and outward.        -   Floret shape.—Salverform.        -   Floret dimensions.—0.75 cm. in diameter and 1.25 cm. in            depth.        -   Petals.—Four non-imbricate petals.        -   Petal color (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—155B.        -   Petals fused or unfused.—Petals are fused.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal apex.—Rounded.        -   Petal surfaces (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—Glabrous.        -   Petal dimensions.—5.50 mm. in length and 4 mm. in width.        -   Corolla tube dimensions.—10 mm. in depth and 2 mm. in            diameter.        -   Corolla tube color (inner surface).—155B.        -   Corolla tube color (outer surface).—155B.        -   Eye color.—9B.        -   Bud shape.—Tetrapterous.        -   Bud surface.—Pubescent.        -   Bud color.—11B.        -   Bud apex.—Truncate.        -   Bud dimensions.—6 mm. in length and 2.5 mm. in width.        -   Peduncle shape.—Quadrilateral.        -   Peduncle texture.—Flexible.        -   Peduncle strength.—Strong.        -   Flower fragrance.—Pungently malodorous.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Two rudimentary stamens.        -   Stamen color.—155B.        -   Stamen dimensions.—2 mm. in length and less than 0.25 mm. in            diameter.        -   Anther dimensions.—Less than 0.50 mm. in length and less            than 0.25 mm. in width.        -   Anther color.—N144B.        -   Pollen.—None observed to date.        -   Pistil.—None observed to date.        -   Ovary position.—None observed to date.-   Seed production: Neither seed, nor fruit production has been    observed to date.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named ‘WHITE GOLD’ asdescribed and illustrated herein.